Protecting electronic systems, particularly data storage systems, from environmental changes is an ongoing concern. Numerous methods and apparatus exist for maintaining a proper operating environment. Such efforts include efforts for protecting such systems against, among others, changes in temperature and humidity, shock, and air pollutants.
Examples of previous attempts at providing such protection can be found at least in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,597, U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,833, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,473, U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,476, U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,303, U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,603, U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,780, U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,678, U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,402, U.S. Pat. 4,574,454, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,595, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,694, U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,922, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,806. Unfortunately, previous attempts have not provided a solution that is adequate to all situations.
In many instances previous protection methods and apparatus result in electronic systems that are: (a) too costly in that they may cost ten times what an equivalent unprotected system would cost; (b) too bulky and/or heavy, and that need to be delivered and set up professionally; (c) too difficult to use in that they do not provide the same ease of use as do unprotected systems; and (d) too hard to market in that they cannot meet requirements of existing storage retailers. Moreover, in many instances such electronic systems cannot be operated continuously and either are not protected during operation, or can only be operated for limited periods of time.